Fifth Generation IMC: Expanding the scope to Profit, People, and the Planet
Stewart Pearson, Edward Malthouse
TL;DR
The editorial argues that marketing must move from a single-stakeholder (shareholder) focus to a multi-stakeholder paradigm that integrates Profit, People, and Planet. It introduces IMP3, an expanded IMC framework that coordinates strategy, communications, and measurement across diverse stakeholders and ESG domains, supported by industry examples and emerging metrics. The authors outline concrete research questions on how to balance stakeholder interests, craft coordinated ESG messaging, and quantify environmental and social impact alongside financial outcomes. This work provides a blueprint for researchers and practitioners to design synergistic marketing programs that drive long-term brand value while advancing societal and environmental goals.
Abstract
This editorial outlines an expanded scope for the next (fifth) generation of integrated marketing communication. It identifies key market forces that gave rise to this evolution and describes a trajectory of where Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) has been and where it is going. The central shift is moving from primarily focusing on one stakeholder to multiple ones, including people (employees and society), the planet (environment), and profits. It identifies examples from industry that exemplify multi-stakeholder decision-making and uses the examples to suggest research questions that academics and practitioners should address. Examples and research directions are organized around marketing strategy, communication media and messages, and measurement systems.